Inseam sewing machine



Nov. 2o, 192s. A 1,692,453

E. l. L'A CHAPELLE INSEAM SEWING MACHINE Filed July 6, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet l inllnlllil-n 4( ,Jalf. n Z

Nov. 20, 1928.

E. l. LA CHAPELLE INSEAM SEWING MACHINE Filed July 6, 1923 4 sheets-sheet 2 Nov. 20, 1928. 1,692,453

E. l. LA CHAPELLE INSEAM sEwNG MACHINE l Filed July 6, 1925 4 sheets-sheet 3 Nov. 20, 1928.

E. l. LA CHAPELLE INSEAM SEWING MACHINE Filed July 6, 1925 4 Sheets-Shea?.l 4

J liz! Patented Nov. 20, 1928.

STATES iaaaiaa EUCLID I. LA CHAPELLE, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO C. C. BLAKE, INCORPORATED, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATIONu 0F NEW YORK.

INSEAM SEWIN G MACHINE.

Applicationv filed July 6, 1923, Serial N0. 649,853.

M'y invention relates to a method of preparing soles for improved seam formation, and ,more particularly for improved seam formation by curved instrumentalities, for example, such as by the curved needle of the well known Goodyear welt and turn shoe chain-stitch sewing machines, or by the curved needle of such a sewing machine as the one herein show n, which is the sewing machine represented 1n United States Patent No. 412,704, dated Oct. 8,1889.

In the specification and claims the term sole is to be interpreted to include the term innersole. The term shoel` is to be interpreted to include the term boot. The term seamfis to be interpreted ,to include the term inseam, whenever the context so permits.

My novel method is primarily intended for practice on welt and turn shoes and is adapted to reenforce such shoes atv their weakest point. It is a well recognized fact that the between substance of welt shoe innersoles and turn shoe soles is too narrow and therefore too weak,- especially in low and medium grade soles, to properly contribute toward the formation of a strong seam, and much less toward the formation of a seam having maximum degree of strength. But, the extent of the width of the between substance is positively limited by the curvature of the needle of all welt and turn shoe curved needle sewing machines, i. e. by the diameter of the cir- 'cle on which the arc of the needle is formed.

Such limitation in the width of the between substance must necessarily exist because the needle forces upwardly any extra width of between substance inconsistent relatively to its arc, and, under the effect of such force,n either bends out of its true arc or breaks, and,

in the event of passing through any excessive width of between substance without being damaged, it will then force up the excessive width portion, with the plane surface ot the sole opposite thereto, and thus cause a' ridge to be made around the plane surface of the sole, which is very objectionable in both welt and turn shoes.

The adoption of a between substance ,of a width much greater than the present one is a great desideratum, under any circumstances, in the present state of the art, but especially so when considering that the sewing thread cuts into and thereby narrows the already too narrow between substance under the effect of the stitch setting action of the take-up of welt and turn shoe sewing machines, and notably so with a sewing machine having its tensionwheel properly set for the maximum tensile strength of the thread applied to the machine.

Furthermore, it is a well recognized fact that welt shoes quickly lose their original shape during wear and this serious defect is, to a great extent, traceable to the between substance which is too weak to withstand the strain incident to wear and moves outwardly, or is cut entirely through at certain points by the sewing thread.

With the view of eliminating the objections above noted, and the other objections hereinafter noted, my novel method has for objective the reenforcement of the standard or ordinary between substance of soles by increasing the widthy to the extent of embodying in soles a between substance of such width as to be inconsistent relatively to the arc of the curved seam forming instrumentality, such as of the curved needle of welt and turn shoe sewing machines, and then the working of the between substance, at those points where the curved seam forming instrumentality is to pass through, soas to thereby render the width of the between substance consistent relatively to the arc of the curved seam forming instrumentality.

With the same end in View, a further objective of my novel method resides in the preparationof the channel lip of a channel sole, having a between substance even of standard or ordinary width, for the formation of a seam, even by hand, so that the seam will be greatly reenforced by making possible by such preparation the setting of the seam fastening means Von top of the channel lip.

Still another objective of ,my novel method aims toward the adoption of certain instrumentalit-ies 'of welt and turn shoe curved needlesewing machines for the best practice of my' method, and the accompanying drawings illustrate solesas prepared in accordance with my method, andA shoes embodying the novel improved seam effected by the practice of my method,'and also the curved needle Chain-stitch shoe sewing machine represented in the latent herein referred to, with certain novel eatures added to reduce ,my method to best practice.

In the drawings:

Figure 1, is a plan View of a welt shoe innersole, having a between substance of extra width prepared in accordance with my method. c F Fig. 2, is a cross-section taken on line 2-2 ig. 3, is a plan view of a welt shoe innersole having the standard or ordinary between substance and is shown as prepared in accordance with my novel method.

Fig. 4, is a cross-section taken on line 4--4 Fig. 3.

Fig. 5, is a detail view of the sole shown in Fig. 1, having the shoe upper and welt strip sewed thereto by hand, and said view illustrates the setting of the sewing thread on top of the eXtra width portion of the extra wide between substance in accordance with the practice of my method.

Fig. 6, shows a detail view of the sole shown in Fig. 3, having the shoe upper and welt Strip sewed thereto by hand, and said view illustrates the setting of' the sewing thread on top of the'channel lip, adjacent the between substance, in accordance with the practice of my method.

Fig. 7, shows a welt shoe embodying an innersole having extra width of between substance, preparedA in accordance with my method, and the shoe upper and the welt strip sewed thereto by hand, showing the sewing thread set on top of the extra width portion of the between substance, in accordance with the practice of my method.

Fig. 8, illustrates a welt shoe embodying an innersole, having the standard or ordinary 'width of between substance, as prepared in accordance with my method and shows the shoe upper and welt strip sewed by hand, the thread being set on top of the channel lip in accordance with the practice of my method.

Fig. 9,' illustrates a side elevation of the curved needle chain-stitch shoe sewing machine, represented in the patent herein referred to, with certain novel features added for best reduction to practice of my novel method.

Fig. 10, is a detail view of a Welt shoe embodying an innersole having extra width of between substance as prepared by my method, and shows the sewing thread set on top oi the extra width portion of the extrawide between substance by the sewing machine shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11, is a detail view of a welt shoe embodying an innersole having the standard or ordinary width of between substance prepared by my method, and shows the sewing thread set on top of the channel lip by the sewing machine shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 12, is a detail view of the section of a welt shoe innersole engaged by the channel-o'uide provided with a novel channel lip hol ing means.

Fig. 13,'is a detail section o' awelt shoe innersole engaged by the channel-guide, and the awl provided with novel .cutting means, and shows the needle in a retracted position.

Fig. 14, is a detail plan view of the elcments shown in Fig. 13, in dotted lines showing the position of the channel-guide and the 4awl at the termination of the feeding movement by the awl, with the needle about to enter the shoe.

Fig. 15, is a detail plan view ot' a welt shoe under process of stitch ormation, the thread holder having pulled the necessary amount of thread for the retracting movementY of the needle, and the looper having fed the thread to the needle which is about to retract.

. Fig.,16, is a detail plan view showing the welt shoe, and the needle starting to advance after having set the sewing thread on top of the channel lip and the awl engaging the between substance after having cut the channel lip preparatory to the formation of the next stitch.

Fig. 17, is a detail plan view showing the welt shoe, with the shank oi' the needle through the between substance while the take-up of the sewing machine shown in Fig. 9, is setting the previous stitch, just prior to the pulling of the thread bythe thread holder 14, for the -retracting movement of the needle.

In the drawings: 1, represents the welt shoe innersole as prepared by my novel method, said sole having the ordinary channel 2, and a between substance 3, of extra width, and the channel lip and part of the between substance being cut as at 4, the cuts being spaced apart the length of each stitch and extending all around the channel 2, and the channel lip 5. Figures 3, and 4, show the sole 1, as having the standard or ordinary between substance 3a, and as having the channel lip 5, and the cuts 4, extending through the channel lip only. 'In Figure 5, is shown the sole 1, as having the shoe upper 6, and the welt strip 7, united thereto by the sewing thread 8, set on top of the between substance in accordance with the practice of my method. In Fig. 6, is shown the sole 1, as having the sewing thread 8, set' on top of the channel lip 5, in accordance with the practice of my method. In Figure 7, is shown the welt shoe Linnersole 1, incorporated into a welt slice A,

the shoe upper 6, and the welt strip 7, being standard or ordinary between substance 3,

and the sewing thread being set on top of the -channel of the sole and the novel channel lip holding means 10. being over the channel lip, as best shown in Figure 12, the rst step in the operation is the engagement of the between substance of the sole by the awl 11, 'provided with a novel cutting means 12,

whereby the cuts 4, are formed in the channel lip 5; and then the feeding of the shoe by the awl, as best shown in Figure 14, and, as therein shown, the awl is at the end of its feeding movement and the needle 1 3, is about to enter-the shoe and the awl is about to retract upwardly, and laterally with the channel guide, in the position y.as shown in Fig-- ure l5. vIn said figure, the needle 13, is shown through the between substance and the sewing thread 8, pulled within the cut 4, by the thread holder 14, just prior to the feeding of the thread to the needle 13, by the looper 15, and, after such feeding of the thread, the needle starting to retract, the thread holder 14, releases the thread and the needle passesit through the between sub-v stance, shoe upper and welt strip, as shown in Fig. 16, and sets it preferably, from the tension-wheel of said sewing machine B, on top of the channel lip 5, when nearing the end of its retracting movement. In Figure 17, t-he needle is shown through the welt strip, shoe upper and between substance of the sole, while the take-up of said sewing machine B, sets the previous stitch from the tension-wheel, which setting is the last step in the formation of the stitch by the said sewing machine.

lt is well known in the art that the sewing machine B. is adapted to operate'on turn shoes as well as on welt-shoes-a back-gage being then substituted for the welt-guide, and this tact is to be taken in consideration'in the interpretation of the appended claims. lithout departing from the spirit of my invention, certain sewing machine elements may be substituted for elements directly contributing tothe reduction to practice of my method. For instance, although not of the best adoption`v the looper 15, could he niotioned toward the between substance and then could be substituted for the thread holder 14, (commonly termed thread finger) for laying the thread within the cut portions of the channel lip, or of the between substance, or of both, in some cases; and

equivalents could be substituted for the novel channel lip holding means 10,' or for the novel cutting means 12, herein' shown, and the appended claims are to be interpreted in that broad sense.

Aprime requisite for maximum tightness of seam resides in the compression of thevarious shoe parts against the shoulder of the between substance of the shoe sole and in the application of the seam fastening means during the time of such compression. But, in the case of welt and turn shoe curved needle sewing machines, such compression is limited by the degree of strength of the between substance in resisting the cutting action of the channel-guide under the effect of the compressing action of the welt-guide, or of the back-gage, respectievly, and the standard or ordinarybetween substance in both, welt and turn shoe soles being necessarily limited as to width, (having a width of between one eighth and three sixteenths of an inch) such cutting into the between substance bythe channelguide then appreciably effects the strength of the seam. But, with the provision of' an extra wide betweenl substance,-comparatively much wider than the ordinary one, prepared in accordance with my method, the application of the necessary amount of compression required for maximum tightness of seam is.

then possible without appreciably effecting the strength of the seam by the cutting into of the channel-guide, even in the setting of the sewing thread at the bottom of the channel; and in the'setting of the sewing thread on top of the extra wide portion of the between substance, or on Itop of the channel lip, (even on top of the channel lip of soles having ordinary width of between substance) such lcutting into .the between substance by the channel-guide then will not etleet the strength of the seam whatsoever. The same line of reasoning is applicable to the cutting into the between substance by the sewing thread under the effect of the take-uppof welt and turn shoe sewing machines, as herein already noted, since then it is possible to apply the necessary amount of tension required on the tension-wheel for the maximum tensile strength of the thread, even of highest grade thread, and then, even with the use of medium and low grade soles, the result is a permanently tight stitch.

Aside from strength and tightness of seam, a channel sole having the seam fastening means set on top of its channel lip, (which lip then closes the channel) is more water repellent than a sole having no channel lip and this feature is a most desirable one in the case of welt shoes, which type of shoes is most liable to take water through its insean'i quicl'- er than at any other point. Moreover, a channel is greatly advantageous to the operator of the sewing unurhine in affording him a positire guide, especially with the channel lip retained, and, 'I, therefore, preferably adopt soles having channel lips in the practice of my method; and a novel and very important feature, which constitutes one of the prime objectives of my method, resides in the preparation of the channel lip, as herein shown in Fig. 3, and such a novel and important feature is to be considered as sufficient per se to form the patentablesubject matterof my present application. t l

l My novel method invariably involves the use of soles having a between substance, such as the one common to welt shoes innersoles and to turn shoe soles, i. e. a between substance horizontally disposed relativelyto the plane Vsurface of the sole and having a given width prior to the start of the operation of forming the seam, and, in its broadest aspect, my novel method aims toward making possible the laying and setting of the Seam fastening means, for greatest possible strength and tightness of seam, on top of the plane surface of such soles, as distinguished from setting the seam fastening means at the bottom of the channel, as heretofore the invariable practice with the use of such soles. In the case of welt and turn shoes the stitch setting strain upon the thread under the influence ofthe take-up is then in a downward direction and the advantages are obvious.

It is to be appreciated that my novel method may be practiced at any adaptable shoemaking operation directly contributing to the formation of the seam in a sole, having a between substance horizontally disposed relatively to its plane surface, and, of a given width, prior to the start of the operation of forming the seam, and, in the event of the adoption of my method at an adaptable shoemaking operation contributing directly to the formation of the seam in the manufacture -of any kind of shoes embodying soles havin" such a between substance, I would consi er my invention as availed of. Furthermore, I want it well understood that the preparation of soles in accordance with my method', may take place at any time prior to the start of the operation of forming the seam and that such preparation may be per-l formed by any suitable mechanism or even' by hand. But,` best practice dictates that such preparation take place at a sewing machine, such as the one herein shown, provided with a special awl and then referably in conjunction with the novel cmnnel lip holding means herein shown. Such a special awl being made with extra material at its top portion to form a cutting edge so that the channel lip alone will be cut by such novelcutting means, even of soles having the ordinary width of between substance, or so that the extra' width portion of the extra wide between substance of soles having such will be cut, and then the, channel lip also, if there be one, will be preferably cut.

Although best practice of my novel method involves the use of'a special awl, as herein shown, it is to be understood that soles hav-v 'myself to such setting, as itis within the spirit of my novel method invention to set the sewing thread (or any suitable seam fastening means) against the extra wide between substance at the bottom of the channel, or on top of the channel lip, if there be one, and, in the adoption of such novel setting of seam fastening means, the seam is thereby greatly reenforced and the Avarious objections' herein noted are eliminated.

In the practice of my novel method, the adoption of soles having the standard or ordinary width of between substance or the extra Width is, of course, optional with shoe manufacturers, but the extra wide between substance is primarily intended for soles having no channellip, such as, for exam le, gem innersoles; or for very thin innerso es, with or withoutchannel lip, that should require such for best or most economical results.

The most economical innersolefor a welt shoe today, so far as Iam aware, is the gem innersole; (a laminated innersole composed of a thin leather sole and fabric material united together, including the between substance of the thinleather sole, by cementitious material) but during the welt shoe sewing machine operation, the between substance being then, as in all other welt shoe innersoles, hmited in width by the curvature of the needle and thus being narrow and weak, moves outwardly under the effect of the take-up of the sewing machine in setting the stitch and such outward movement (which also takes place with the use of thin leather innersoles and then with the same effect) causes the fabric material to giie and move, with the thin leather sole united thereto, away from the bottom of the last with the result that after the welt sewing Inachine opration, the forepart plane surface of the gem innersole, comprised within .the inseam line, is lower than the remainder of its forepart plane surface at the inside of the shoe, so that the inside shoe bottom is not uniformly level as a whole` and in such condition does not afford maximum Ofcomfort to the wearer. But such a detrimental condition is, however, a necessity with` gem innersoles today, since were there no give,

the fabric would either be cut by the thread or torn apart over the forepart plane surface of the innersole under the effect of the take-up in setting the stitch, and notably so with a sewing machine having its tension- Wheel set, as it should be, for the maximum tensile strength of the thread applied to the machine. On the other hand, should a fabric material having sufficient strength to successfully withstand the strain incident to stitch setting be provided, its general adoption would be prohibitive in cost.

Considered mainly from an economical standpoint, my novel method contemplates making possible the use of thin leather innersoles adapted to be channeled, (such as the innersoles used in combination with fabric material in some types of gem innersoles) but then without fabric and thus at a great saving in cost of fabric and labor in applying the same and with far better results in seam formation than possible With gem innersoles. But, considered from 'a lesser economical point of view, it is evident that fabric might still be' usefully employed, as in the ordinary gem process or otherwise, to reenforce the plane surface of the innersole during wear.

In the practice of my novel method, the laying and setting of the seam fastening means, by machine or even by hand, on top of the channel lip, even of soles having'ordinai'y width of between substance, or on -topofthe extra wide portion of the between-substance of a sole having such, or by curved seam forming instrumentality even at the bottom of the channel, is within the spirit of my novel method invention. rIhe adoption of any of such procedures will make shoes, such as welt and turn shoes, more waterproof than heretofore, and the original contour of the innersole of a welt shoe will be retained at welt sewing; even by a machine having its tensionwheel properly set for the maximum tensile strength of the thread, and at subsequent operations, such as at edge trimming and outersole stitching, where the strain incident to such machine operations oftentimes causes the between substance, especially of gein and thin leather innersoles, to move outwardly so that the inseam bulges out to the detriment of the symmetrical contour of the shoe.

The inseam of a Welt shoe and the seam of a turn shoe, formed in accordance with my method, are far superior, in every respect, to Welt shoe inseams and turn shoe seams heretofore formed by hand or machine, and, even with thin soles the welt shoe inseam and the turn shoe seam are fully as good as the seams necessarily detracting from the wearing qualities of the shoe when the thin innersole has been prepared and inseamedin accordance with iny'method; and it is a noteworthy fact that it is the practice, notably in the manufacture of womens welt shoes, to slash (cut partly through) the forepart plane surface of innersoles from side to side to obtain flexibility of the shoe bottom. I

It will be obvious that my invention is a broad one and is to be construed as limited only as positively stated in the claims and 'required by the prior ,art Having thus described my novel-method, and a machine for reducing the same to best practice, and shoes embodying seams formed in accordance with my novel method, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, protection for all the novelty herein disclosed to which I am entitled under the statutes, and the following claiming clauses are to be interpreted broadly to give effect to this intention:

l. An awl for inseam shoe sewing machines having a point to engage the base of the channel of thesole, and a knife constructed and arranged with relation tothe point tov cut a lateral slit in the channel flap.

2. An inseam sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices, and

'means for forming laterally extended slits in thechannel flap during each cycle of operation of the stitch forming devices.

3. An inseam sewing machine having,in combination, stitch forming devices, means for forming laterally extended slits in the channel flap during each cycle of operation of the stitch forming devices, and a holddown for the channel flap. 4

4. An inseam sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a hook needle, a thread finger, and av stitch setting take-up; a channel guide provided with a channel engaging sole guiding lip, and a second lip above the channel engaging lip extending over the channel flap to hold down the channel flap; and an awl having a point to engage the base of the channel and a knife constructed andarranged with relation to the point to cut a lateral slit in the channel fla ii). An inseam sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a hook needle, a. thread finger, a stitch setting take-up, a channel guide and channel flap holddown, means for slitting the channel flap, and means for actuating the thread finger to pull the thread across the channel flap linto the slits.

6. An inseam' sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices, means for forming laterally extended slits in the channel Hap, and thread holding means forlaying the thread in the slits.

7. An inseam sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices, means for slitting the channel flap laterally to form independent stitch anchoring tongues add means for looping the thread over the tongues.

8. An inseam sewing machine having, .m combination, stitch form devices ineluding a hook needle, a thread er, a looper, a. stitch setting take-up, a channel guide a channel flap hold-down, an `awl, a slitting v knife, means for operating the lmife to slit 10 the channel flap and form stitch anchoring set the thread over the tongues.

In testimony whereof Lhave signed my' 15 name to this specification.

EUCLID I. LA CHAPELLE. 

